Inside the course: Moonah Classic at Moonah Links

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Moonah Links has hosted the Australian Open and will welcome the Moonah Classic this week.

Feb. 23, 2009

The Nationwide Tour will begin its down Under Swing this week with the Moonah Classic at Moonah Links in Victoria, Australia. Learn more about this venue:

Fast facts

Course Superintendent	Kyle Wilson
Original architect	Peter Thomson (2003)
Par value	72
Number of Nationwide Tour events as host venue	2 (including 2009)
Yardage history	7,469 (2008)
	7,466 (2009)
Water hazards	0
Sand bunkers	200

Course setup

Hole	Par	Yardage
1	4	371
2	5	565
3	4	413
4	5	609
5	3	190
6	4	491
7	3	183
8	4	468
9	4	388
10	4	464
11	4	449
12	4	421
13	3	221
14	4	409
15	5	537
16	4	449
17	3	202
18	5	636

Course record

Player
Ewan Porter

Year
2008

Round
4th

Finish
WON

2008 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

The par-4 491-yard 6th Few players can reach this par 4 in two shots, but it is designed to separate the best from the worst. The green is bunkerless, but a severe slope on the front makes up for that.
2008: 0 eagles, 25 birdies, 264 pars, 136 bogeys, 22 double bogeys, 6 others.

The par-5 537-yard 15th Here is an almost par 5, and on many windy days, it's barely reachable by the power hitters in two. It's a good, old-fashioned blind drive over a transverse ridge. That is not all; the green is still a distance yet with two deep bunkers standing like stone lions to guard the gate. The hole is a test of power mostly.2008: 6 eagles, 168 birdies, 216 pars, 56 bogeys, 7 double bogeys, 0 others.

Course origins

"The Open Course at Moonah Links is the first ever 18 holes built and prepared for a national championship, with exceptional viewing platforms for spectators. It is one of the longest courses in Australia, and probably in the world in this category.

It measures 6,783 meters, so it offers more than a casual stroll in the outdoors. It is a mighty and ferocious test of golfing ability, the likes of which even the top pros only occasionally experience. In terms of difficulty, I estimate a club-handicapped player would merit an extra eight strokes assistance to return a net par score, yet the course has great flexibility. It can be played at many different lengths depending on tees selected.

Indeed, it is expected that the total length will only seldom be used for the real championship occasion.

In addition to its conducive natural contours, the site is blessed with ever-present wind of some direction and strength, and this enhances its attributes. Planning has arranged that no particular direction is especially helpful, it is always a factor.

The Leviathan of a course is a new experience for Australian golf. Visitors will get a whiff of what top championship play is really like." -- Peter Thomson, five-time British Open Champion

Source: http://www.moonahlinks.com.au

Tournament course history